It is hard to describe my excitement of the current sports calendar. It is as if the Sport Gods opened up the heavens and simply let it rain. The NFL kickoff could have satisfied my fix as entertainment filled my Sundays, Mondays, and even Thursdays. But add to that the college football season and I really start to get aroused. Using the term aroused intertwined with sports seems a little creepy, but it is not sexual. It’s not like I’m Ime Udoka of the Boston Celtics or anything. And after months of meaningless baseball, the MLB is finally getting good. Teams fighting for playoff spots,... Read More

And then there were four. Luka Doncic could have defeated the Phoenix Suns by himself, and after a first half in which Doncic scored 27 points, equaling the Suns halftime total, he almost did. Spencer Dinwiddie added 30 points on 11 of 15 shooting. Jalen Brunson chipped in 24 points, and the Dallas Mavericks made 19 of their 39 threes (48.7%) on their way to a lopsided 123-90 game seven victory. The Boston Celtics got 27 points from Grant Williams, 23 from Jason Tatum, and 19 from Jaylen Brown as the team made 22 of their 55 threes (40%) in a game seven route of the Milwaukee Bucks, 109-81. The... Read More

The term March Madness was practically an understatement for this year’s NCAA Championships. Gonzaga couldn’t make it past the Sweet Sixteen, North Carolina had an epic battle against Duke, and Saint Peter’s knocked off Kentucky, Murray State, and Purdue. The NFL gave us its own version of March Madness with Tyreek Hill joining the Dolphins, Davante Adams going to Vegas, and Russell Wilson heading to the Broncos. Baseball joined in on the March Madness by ending its lockout, implementing the DH in the National League, and starting a Free Agent frenzy. The hope was that March Madness would... Read More

The NBA season tips off this week and the Western Conference is up for grabs.  The Suns look to shine.  The Lakers added Westbrook and Carmelo.  Golden State is getting the band back together. Doncic is the Mavericks Top Gun.  While the Jazz are sounding smooth. And don’t forget about the Denver Nuggets and their league MVP. The Wild West with its new faces, players returning from injuries, and young talent developing is about as predictable as Kawhi Leonard’s next Clipper game. But here are how the teams will finish when the regular season ends. 1. Utah Jazz – The Jazz bring back almost... Read More

The Denver Nuggets season came to an abrupt end following Sunday’s 125 -118 loss to Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns.  The Suns swept the series in four games as Devin Booker, Paul, and a cast full of others dominated the undermanned Nuggets from start to finish. Paul finished with 37 points on 14 of 19 shooting as he continued to dominate the Denver guard trio of Monte Morris, Austin Rivers, and 5’10 Facundo Campazzo.  Booker added 34 points and 11 rebounds as he took advantage of the absent and injured Jamal Murray.  And a frustrated Nikola Jokic was ejected in the third quarter after a... Read More

After a year of isolation, I slowly entered the health club with a gym bag around my shoulder and a mask upon my face.  Regardless of the Peloton bike, exercise ball, and weight bench gathering dust in my living room, I was fully vaccinated, and it was time to get out. It felt like a Saturday, but in the aftermath of quarantine naming days, months, or even years remained a challenge.  The gym was quiet as I reintroduced myself to the various machines, worked out for about an hour, then headed to the jacuzzi to ease a few aches. The confusion began once exiting the locker room as a high school... Read More

The last time a Denver Nugget won an MVP award was back in 1969-70.  The player was Spencer Haywood, the league was the ABA, and technically, he wasn’t a Nugget, as the team was then called the Denver Rockets. Since the merger from the ABA to the NBA, there have been many great Nuggets such as Alex English, David Thompson, and Carmelo Anthony.  But none have won an MVP. Nikola Jokic is looking to change that. The oddsmakers will point to a Lebron James (LAL), Joel Embiid (PHI), or a James Harden (BRK) as betting favorites to take home the trophy, but the sixth-year center from Serbia shouldn’t... Read More

‘Twas a few nights before Christmas and filled with elation.  The NBA was now back from its tiny vacation.  Chris Paul now a Sun and Steph Curry a go.  A new Max-Player deal for Antetokounmpo. That last line a bit forced if we’re being quite honest.  Should’ve mentioned Durant and then simply used Giannis. There’s Doncic, and Zion, a few guys to the Sixers. James Harden’s late flights to loud Vegas mixers. Hayward to the Hornets in his warm Christmas sweater.  The Clippers got clipped while the Lakers got better. Westbrook now a Wizard and with Beal, he shall play. And an apropos... Read More

The 2003 NBA Draft was arguably the greatest in the history of the game.  Lebron James was chosen by Cleveland with the first overall pick, Carmelo Anthony would fall to the Denver Nuggets at pick number three, and Dwayne Wade would go to Miami at number five. This isn’t 2003.  Not even close. The 2020 NBA Draft is shaping up as one of the weakest drafts of all-time, void of a Zion, a Ja, or even a Rui Hachimura. Here’s a look at the teams, the draft order, the predictions, and the reason 2020 just keeps getting worse.   Minnesota Timberwolves – Anthony Edwards – 6’5/225/SG/Georgia... Read More

The NBA is finalizing its Return to Play format as 22 teams will travel to Orlando in July to finish off the 2019-20 NBA season and crown a new champion.  COVID-19 has changed the dynamics of this year’s playoffs as players return to the sport underconditioned, worried about safety, and understandably focused on social issues rather than basketball. Before the suspension of the regular season, teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers were favorites for the title.  But now that the rules have changed and new factors are thrown into the equation, are some teams better equipped... Read More

Basketball is an 82-game season in which the occasional upset is bound to occur.  Fresh off a big win over the Toronto Raptors, the Denver Nuggets got embarrassed at the Pepsi Center on Tuesday night by the last place Golden State Warriors with the final score of 116-100. In sports terminology, it was the typical “trap game” as the Nuggets, a double-digit favorite, played poorly and underestimated their hungrier opponent in tasting defeat.  But to panic at this point seems extreme considering that Denver is still 41-20 with quality wins over the Lakers, Clippers, and Bucks on their resume. But... Read More

The votes are starting to accumulate for the players hoping to make the 2020 NBA All-Star game next month in Chicago, and Denver’s Nikola Jokic is a sure thing.  The Nuggets are currently 28-12, third in the Western Conference, and Jokic is having another tremendous season averaging 19 points, 10 rebounds, and over six assists a game.  The popularity of Jokic has him at fifth in voting in the West for the frontcourt players trailing only Lebron James (LAL), Anthony Davis (LAL), Kawhi Leonard (LAC), and Paul George (LAC).  While Jokic stands at tenth overall among all Western Conference players. Looking... Read More

As we take the empty champagne bottles to the recycling bin and begrudgingly grab our gym bags, deep inside we know the inevitable is just days, or weeks away.  The New Year’s Resolutions we have made to give up drinking, or finally get back in shape, just aren’t sustainable. The general problem is that we tend to make our goals too lofty.  We can renew our gym membership, but our five-days-a-week turns into much less than that, and by the time February comes around our New Year’s Resolution is just a faint memory.  Giving up alcohol seems plausible considering the new year generally begins... Read More

In celebration of the Denver Nuggets hot start and with next week being Thanksgiving, I’ve decided to name my 2019 NBA All-Thanksgiving Team.  Apologies to Aaron, Justin (both on the Pacers), and Jrue Holiday (Pelicans), who were just too obvious to make the cut, but there’s always next year. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets The big man makes the All-Thanksgiving squad because he loves to dish, is lousy at stuffing, and often gets burnt on the defensive end. Dragan Bender – Milwaukee Bucks   I don’t know about you, but every Thanksgiving I tend to go on a Bender, and for the rest of... Read More

Predicting how the Denver Nuggets will finish in the NBA West may take a mathematical algorithm that includes statistical analysis of teams and players.  Or maybe chemistry, or the lack thereof, will provide a better answer.  Will Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and the LA Clippers dominate as expected?  Is one ball enough for James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and the Houston Rockets?  Can Lebron James accept playing second-fiddle to Anthony Davis for the LA Lakers?  Welcome to the Wild West Kristaps Porzingis, Ja Morant, and Zion Williamson. With all the moves and roster overhauls, here’s a... Read More

The 2019-20 NBA Schedule was just released, and the calendar is full of exciting games and stars visiting the Pepsi Center this season. The Lakers with Lebron and AD, the Clippers with Kawhi and Paul George, Zion is coming, as are Harden and Westbrook. But I want you to circle November 19th as a game you may want to attend. The Atlanta Hawks are coming to town. Now, before you stop laughing, it’s true that Atlanta was only 29-53 last season, they’re not a playoff team, and while Trae Young is fun to watch, it’s hardly worth dealing with rush hour traffic for. But a few weeks ago, Vince Carter... Read More

For some reason, my editor frowned upon my original idea entitled, “Who Doesn’t Want a Threesome?” so, I dropped it to a duo. With Paul George teaming up with Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers, and Lebron having tacos with Anthony Davis and the Lakers, the question begs the answer: where does the duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray rank among the NBA elite? The rules are simple.  Some guys are old, some guys are injured, but if you were starting a team tomorrow and had the choice of the following dynamic duos, how would they rank? Here’s how I see it. Lebron James and Anthony Davis—Los... Read More

The Denver Nuggets’ outstanding season ended prematurely last weekend as CJ McCollum poured in 37 points for the Portland Trailblazers, the Nuggets went cold and missed their last 15 three-point shots, and the Pepsi Center fans left the arena with a rare homecourt loss in a pivotal game seven finale. The defeat was disappointing, but the future looks bright as Denver’s young core of Nikola Jokic (24), Jamal Murray (22), and Gary Harris Jr. (24) showed that the team is formidable and on the rise. But if you’re thinking that the Nuggets should simply work on their shooting this summer, practice... Read More

The story became obvious as I sat down to write.  The Colorado Avalanche would eliminate the top-seeded Calgary flames in five games, and my fingers began to type.  Thoughts of Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon, and Philipp Grubauer raced through my head.  Memories past were of Stanley Cups, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, and Ray Bourque.  I would be sure to throw in Patrick Roy’s legendary playoff quote once said in response to an opponent’s trash talk. “I didn’t hear him because my two Stanley Cup rings were stuffed in my ears.” It was undoubtedly the story, the headline, the news of... Read More

Nikola Jokic is finally getting noticed.  A max contract, the first Nugget named to the all-star team since Carmelo Anthony, his team is in first place in the Northwest Division, fighting with Golden State for the top seed in the West, and he even has a cool nickname.  The Joker. A perfect take-off on his name: silly, clever, and like Batman’s nemesis, capable of taking over. But what about the other players?  With a record of 42-20, these guys should be household names, but they’re not.  While the lack of recognition could be due to time zones, market size, or Denver’s depth and rotations,... Read More